Horse-checking device



(No Model.)

P. A. BOWEN.

HORSE GHBGKING DEVICE.

No. 407,054. Patented July 16, 1889 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PHILLIP A. BOIVEN, OF MILW AUKEE, \VISCONSIN.

HORSE-CHECKING DEVICE.

Sl-ECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 407,054, dated July 16, 1889.

Application filed April 23, 1889. Serial No. 308,313. (No model.)

T0 to whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PHILLIP A. BOWEN, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and in the State of \Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Checkrein-Ilooks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description' thereof.

My invention relates to checkrein-hooks; and it consists in certain peculiarities of coilstruetion, as will be fully set forth hereinafter and subsequently claimed.

I11 the drawings, Figure 1 is a side eleva tion, partly broken away, of the operative portions of my improved device. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view illustrating the location of my device on a harness and its preferred manner of use. Fig. 4. illustrates another construction of one part of my device. Fig.5 is an enlarged detail view of one form, and Figs. 0 and 7 are partly sectional detail views of another form, of part of my device.

A represents a harness-saddle, of any ordinary construction, having the usual terrets a a for the reins Z) Z), and to the saddle A, midway between the terrets, is a socket for the reception of the preferably screw-threaded shank c of a bracket 0, which may be either rigid with the shank, as shown in Fig. 1, or pivoted thereto, as shown at (Z in Fig. i. This bracket carries two horizontally arranged tubular guides or sleeves D E, the latter being preferably formed with a tapered bore 6, of greatest diameter at its forward end, as shown in Fig. 1.

F is the hook for the reception of the checkrein 13, having a spring-snap f and a rearward-extending shank G, the latter passing through the sleeves D E, and having a recess g, from which rises a spring H, secured, as by screw h, to said shank, while surrounding said shank G, between the sleeves D E, is a ring L.

just back of the hook F, is a collar or stop I, and the rear end of the shank is formed with a socket i for the reception of one end of a strap J, (preferably an internally-screw-threaded socket and a round leather strap, as shown in Fig. 1,) secured in said socket, as by a pin 7'.

At the forward end of this shank G,

Secured to one of the reins b are a series of rings or loops 7.: 7; h, and beyond these a hook or catch 0. The strapJ passes through these rings L is, so as to lie close to the said rein, and its extreme end is secured to a socket m or other part of a block M, having a ring n for said rein Z) to pass through, and a handpiece N and also a hole 0 at the rear for the reception of one end of a spiral or other spring K, whose other end is secured to the described hook or catch 0 on the reinb.

The operation of my device will be readily understood from the foregoing description of its construction.

In the position of parts shown in Fig. 1 the horse is checked. Now, supposing it is desired to uncheck the horse, (to permit him to drink at a trough, for instance,) it is not necessary to get out of the wagon, but the driver has only to reach forward and grasp the hand-piece N and draw on the strap J until the stop I on the shank of the checkrein hook abuts against the forward end of the sleeve E, and this will serve to draw the spring II close against the recess g of the shank G and retain it in that closed position, all on account of the ring L, the said step I preventing the shank G from being drawn far enough back to free the end of the spring H from said ring L. this position, the horse, by the natural downward motion of his head in reaching for the water, will draw the shank G and its attached strap J through the sleeves D E, (the attached rein I) being slackened for this purpose, and the impingement of the ring L against the rear end of the sleeve E serving to release the former from contact with the free end of the spring IL) and then, when it is desired to recheck the horse,a pull on the hand-piece N will serve to draw the shank G back through the said sleeves D E (the tapering bore 6 in the forward sleeve preventing any catching at the point of junction of said shank G and strap J, and also facilitates the rearward passage of the spring H) until the parts are in their original position, (shown in Fig. 1,) with the horse checked.

By reason of the yield of the spring K the device will not be prematurely operated by the ordinary use of the reins in guiding the WVhen the parts are in v ferently united.

horse, but a smart pull on the hand-piece N is necessary for such operation, and if more convenient in any instance (as with grocers or butchers carts and the like, where the driver sits Very near the front of the wagon) the strap J and hand-piece N may be attached to that part of the harness which extends from the saddle to the Gripper, if desired, instead of to one of the reins, as shown.

In Figs. (3 and 7, I show another form of part of my device, which is'somewhat neat-er in appearance and better adapted for use in connection with nice harnesses. In this form the spring K (preferably a rubber spring, although I may use. a spiral spring withthis form, or a rubber spring with the form shown in Fig. 3, if desired) and the strap J are dif- The block M has a flat top, and the hand-piece-N is made separate therefrom, and is provided with a central perforation and countersink for the reception of a screw P, the threaded end of which engages with a screw-threaded bore in the center of the block M, as best shown in Fig. 6, and said hand-piece has further opposing furrows or grooves on its under side (one of which is shown at 19, Fig. '7) to receive the ends of the said strap J and spring K, which are held in place against the fiat top of the block M by the screw P, when the parts are adjusted, as best shown in Fig. 6. The catch 0 in this form is composed of two centrally-perforated buttons (the hole in the lower button being screw-threaded andthe hole in the upper button having a countersink) and one end of the spring is placed on the rein, and one of the buttons is placed above that, the other button below the rein Z), and a screw Q is passed through the holes in the button and one in the said rein, thus clamping allfirmly together, as shown in Fig. 6. These buttons may be plainor ornamental, and rather add to the attractiveness of the harness instead of detracting therefrom, and the operation of tween the said sleeves, substantially as set forth.

2. In an automatic checking and unchecking device, the combination of a bracket carrying sleeves, a checkrein-hook having a shank passing therethrough and carrying a spring and spring-controlling device, a strap secured to the end of said shank, and a spring attached to the rear end of said strap and to the harness within reach of the driver, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand, at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of VVisconsin, in the presence of two witnesses.

PHILLIP A. BOWEN.

WVitncsses:

H. G. UNDERWOOD, N. E. OLIPHANT. 

